Nipah virus: could it trigger the next global pandemic? Experts weigh in

Even as the world continues to grapple with COVID-19, public health experts are raising caution about the possibility of an ensuing pandemic.

The current focus is on paramyxoviruses, a group comprised of 75 viruses, including those responsible for well-known diseases like measles, mumps, and respiratory tract infections. The British National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases has flagged the Nipah virus, a paramyxovirus, as a potential pandemic pathogen.

The Nipah virus is particularly notable as it can cause fatal brain inflammation. The mortality rate associated with it ranges from 40 to 75 percent, which is significantly higher than COVID-19.

Although paramyxoviruses spread more slowly than flu viruses and coronaviruses, their potential for rapid transmission among people is a concerning factor. The World Health Organization has recognized the Nipah virus and its close relatives as high-priority pathogens.

Experts point out the challenges related to sequencing paramyxoviruses, which complicates the process of developing effective vaccines. Raina Plowright from Cornell University warns that a pandemic stemming from these viruses could spell disaster for humanity, possibly even surpassing the impact of COVID-19.

According to the British Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the early signs of a Nipah virus infection include:

• Fever,
• Headache,
• Cough,
• Sore throat,
• Difficulty in breathing
• Vomiting.

More severe symptoms may follow, such as:

• Disorientation
• Coma,
• Brain swelling.

The possibility of a pandemic caused by the Nipah virus inspired the 2011 Hollywood film, "Contagion". The main characters in this film, acted by Kate Winslet and Gwyneth Paltrow, exist in a dystopian world affected by a frightening disease. In the storyline, a deadly infection spreads from bats to pigs and then to Paltrow's character during a business trip to Hong Kong.